


An Itch That Needs Scratching

by PorcelainLove



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angry!Gladio, Beard love, Frottage, M/M, Sexy!Ignis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 06:11:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11663262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PorcelainLove/pseuds/PorcelainLove
Summary: In which Ignis grows a beard and Gladio has an odd reaction.Artwork by chipeppers!!<3 <3 <3





	An Itch That Needs Scratching

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sauronix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sauronix/gifts).



> This developed from a prompt from Sauronix about Ignis growing a beard and how Gladio would react - love it or hate it. I think we all know how Gladio, King of the sexy facial scruff, would react. Or maybe you disagree? Either way, enjoy!

 

It had been ten days. 

Ten fucking days.  It felt like forever.

Gladio didn’t know how Ignis did it every single day, he could barely keep up.  What with bickering and the cooking and the cleaning, not to mention his regular duties as Shield!  Add in training Noctis to fight and he barely had enough time to sleep.  And Gladio didn’t want to admit it to himself, let alone the others, but he was getting sick and tired of eating Cup Noodles.

Ignis had decided that he needed to go to Tenebrae.  Something about the archives there holding important information that ‘would do them great service’.  And then he was gone, just like that.

Gladio didn’t understand why they couldn’t all just go together.  Safety in numbers and all that.  But Ignis told them no, and that was it.  As much as Gladio loved to argue – the body wasn’t the only thing that needed to be kept sharp – he knew he could never win a fight with Ignis.  The royal advisor was just too smart, too prepared…

And too damn perfect.

Frustrating as hell sometimes, but perfect none the less.

Sure, Gladio had disappeared for a bit too way back when, but that was necessary – he needed to know what he was capable of. He needed to know he was worthy of protecting his Prince, that even when times got tough he wouldn’t falter.

Of course he didn’t tell anyone that.  Ignis had been furious – they all had been furious – but they forgave him eventually.

And now Ignis was doing the same damn thing, and no one was questioning it.  Gladio didn’t want to sound like a child but it just wasn’t fair.  He’d only been gone about a week, give or take a day or two. Ignis had been gone much longer and Gladio knew – he just knew – that when he returned everyone would welcome him with open arms.

Gladio would also be happy when Ignis came back but he certainly planned on giving him a piece of his mind first. 

The first day Ignis was away Noctis had tripped over a voretooth – hilarious at the time, and Gladio certainly had laughed a lot at Noctis’s expense – but he managed to tear his jacket.  He barely wore the thing anyway but of course he needed it fixed right away – and neither Noctis nor Prompto knew how to sew.  Gladio didn't either, not really.  Ignis had given him a crash course in the past but up until now the most he has been able to do was sew on a button.

Gladio’s weapon should have given it away.  He used greatswords – giant, hulking pieces of steel that were capable of rending a monster’s head from its shoulders.  Small, pointy things were Ignis’s specialty.

It was nearing evening of the tenth day when Noctis’s phone beeped with the trill of an incoming message.  Gladio glanced over the kid’s shoulder long enough to see who the sender was: Ignis.  Okay, so technically the sender read as “Specs” but they all knew who that was.  That was another thing Gladio had a bone to pick with Ignis about – Noctis was his charge, first and foremost.  Cutesy names were for too much.  He would never, on his life, let any of the guys call him “Gladdy” – that name was reserved for Iris alone.

Ignis was coming back via taxi, he didn’t ‘want to trouble them’.  Wasn’t that just like him. 

So they waited.  Thankfully the caravan at Hammerhead was always available to them so for the past while the whole group had been living in it.  They made day trips here and there but without Ignis around no one wanted to go far.  Besides, Gladio didn’t like it when Noctis drove.  He hadn’t done anything yet but there was this impending sense that at any second he would slam the wheel to the right and drive straight into the bushes, laughing the whole way.

Thank the Gods that Ignis was on his way home.

So by the time 9:00pm rolled around, Gladio, Noctis, and Prompto were all sitting outside the caravan.  Gladio had decided to take pity on the younger men (and partially himself) and they had bought dinner from Takka.  Ignis must have spoken to the man at one point because Takka always seemed to make an extra effort when they were around – and seemed to have a remarkable talent for slipping in vegetables without Noctis realizing.  Even from afar Ignis was still mothering.

There was a flash of light in the distance.  Gladio waited until it got closer before getting to his feet and wandering over to wait by the chocobo post.  Noct and Prompto had just got into the diner to play Justice Monsters Five but at Gladio’s bark they both came running.

“Noct, Prompto, Ignis is coming – get your asses over here!”

There was a whoop from Prompto and Gladio felt his mouth twitch.  He felt a bit shafted, but he couldn’t fault the kid.  Ignis was coming back just in time. They were all getting on each other’s nerves.  Too much testosterone, too much grumbling, and way, way too much sarcasm.

The taxi had arrived.

The rear door opened and in the dim light Gladio could see the shape in the backseat pass the driver something. Probably a tip.  Then the trunk popped open and the driver got out of the car and retrieved the luggage.  Ignis finally got out of the car and, taking his bag, moved towards the lot of them.  He passed under ray of light from the streetlamp and…

_Shiva’s tits,_ what was _that_?

They all gathered around Ignis, Gladio took the bag from him while Ignis smiled and clapped the other two warmly on the back.  Noctis gave him a short hug. 

“Hey Specs, welcome back.” Ignis rolled his eyes at the nickname. “Also, what did you do to your face?”  Leave it to Noct to get straight to the point.

“Ah yes, this.” Ignis grasped his chin and grimaced.  “I’m afraid that I forgot my toiletries on the train to Tenebrae.  I was engrossed in conversation with my seatmate that I nearly missed the stop – and when I finally got to my lodgings I realized I had forgotten my bag.”

Ignis had an honest-to-goodness beard.  Okay, it was only about a centimeter long, but compared to clean-shaved Ignis (the only Ignis that Gladio had known since his youth) it was quite the change.

Not only that but it was fucking _hot._ Like, hotter than Ifrit’s raging hard-on for destroying humanity. 

Gladio had to admit that Ignis was, to be fair, always damn fine looking.  If someone were to ask him what he thought about Ignis he would admit that without hesitation.  He had smarts, looks, and the quick wit of someone street and book smart.  In conclusion, Ignis was the whole package and Gladio knew that anyone would be lucky to land him.

But Ignis didn’t seem interested in anyone or anything other than his Prince and his duty, in that order.

Until now, Gladio had been perfectly content to say nothing and do nothing on the subject of his attraction to his friend.  After all, he had been attracted to other men in the past, even sleeping with some of them when the occasion called for it.  Until now, Gladio had been able to push down the feelings of desire, to smother the dreams that woke him up at night.

Somehow – who the hells knew how – Ignis’s scruff had awoken something in him.  Gladio wanted to grab Ignis’s perfect hair and pull that irresistible face towards his own.  He wanted to those delicate lips on his, feel the scratch of that fuzz on his face…

Gladio must have zoned out for a moment because Ignis was giving him a strange look.  He cleared his throat.

“Sorry, what?”

“Prompto was insinuating that my facial hair was less than attractive.”

“I was not!”

“Apologies.  Prompto was stating that he thought facial hair like mine would suit him. I was insinuating that it would be less than attractive.”

Noctis laughed at the expression on Prompto’s face and smacked him on the head.  “If you ever even think about growing a beard, just remember: I have 13 spectral weapons at my disposal.  Don’t make me use them all on you.”

There was a whine and Prompto grabbed at Gladio’s jacket in fake distress.  “Help me out here, Gladio!”

Gladio pretended to think about it, while surreptitiously giving Ignis another deep look out of the corner of his eye. Seconds later Ignis caught him staring and Gladio actively turned to face Prompto.

“Iggy looks good. You’d look ridiculous.  Do it and I’ll let Noct attack you with whatever he wants.”

There was an overjoyed cackle as Noctis advanced upon his friend, fingers twitching like he was actually planning on summoning one of the royal arms.  Prompto yipped like an injured puppy and ran off towards Takka’s, intent on surrounding himself with witnesses.  There was a faint cry of “But I’d make it look good too!” that Gladio and Ignis both chose to ignore.

They were alone.  Gladio still held Ignis’s luggage and at some point in the recent minutes he had brought it to the front of his body, using it as a makeshift barrier between himself and the drop-dead gorgeous man in front of him.

“Gladio, are you quite well?”

“Hmm? Why?”

“You seem to have gone pink.  You haven’t gotten sick since I’ve been gone, have you?”  Ignis moved as if to press a hand against Gladio’s forehead. 

“I’m fine.” Gladio answered curtly, casually sidestepping the raised palm and moving towards the caravan.  The last thing he needed right now was physical contact, he was barely keeping it together as it was.  Gladio wasn’t sure what it was about Ignis’s look that flustered him so much.  Somehow that damn beginning of a beard had turned his embarrassing attraction to full-blown lust.

“Is it me, then?  Ignis questioned, gently.  At Gladio’s curious look, Ignis continued, “You keep looking at me.  Have I done something untoward?”

In an instant all of Gladio’s earlier thoughts vanished.  He didn’t want to fight with Ignis, he didn’t want to tell him off.  If anything, he wanted to _get_ him off. _Fuck_! New train of thought, new train of thought!

“No, nothing. You look good is all.  Keep thinking that this is the first time since we met that you’re not… anyway, it’s a nice change.”

“Ah.”

They had almost reached the caravan door but Gladio couldn’t leave well enough alone.

“Ah? What’s that mean?”

“It’s unfortunate.  I was hoping you’d help me shave it off.”

If there was one thing in the world Gladio did not want to do tonight it was touch Ignis.  He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to hold himself back during such an intimate moment as what his friend was suggesting.  Okay, shaving wasn’t exactly what most people would call an arousing situation but… Ignis, vulnerable, prone, at Gladio’s mercy… and with Gladio being a little jittery, sharp objects would not be the best thing to be around.

So of course he said yes.

And so he found himself in their tiny bathroom, razor in hand.  Ignis sat on the edge of the toilet seat and Gladio knelt in front of him.  He vaguely recalled some mutterings about how Ignis still didn’t have his razor and he didn’t feel proper using Gladio’s so ‘if Gladio could do the honors’.  It was some bullshit but somehow it had worked.

“I’ve always been rather curious,” Ignis began speaking and Gladio realized he should actually pay attention to the words this time, and not just that gorgeous jawline. “About whether I’d look halfway decent with a beard like yours instead of this overgrown mess.  Would you mind trimming from here--“ He grabbed Gladio’s free hand and drew the index finger down and around his jaw. “- to here?”

Gladio nearly dropped the razor when his finger was dragged through Ignis’s beard.  For someone who must have shaved regularly, it was silky smooth – no sharp stubble anywhere.  The skin underneath was warm and the bathroom must have been too hot because if he wasn’t mistaken, there was a glow to Ignis’s cheeks that wasn’t there before. 

Eyes locked together, Ignis made a tut-tut noise as if considering something else.

“On second thought, maybe just a goatee?  The look ridiculous but if all this will be shaved off soon, it will be out little secret.”  Gladio’s thumb was drawing circles on the lower half of Ignis’s chin and it took him a moment to realize Ignis wasn’t guiding his hand.  Gladio withdrew with a jerk.  Ignis looked intrigued, there was a slight furrow in his brow that usually showed up when he was thinking about something hard.

Ignis smiled and suddenly the room seemed ten times brighter and Gladio’s pants felt much, much tighter.

“If I may… a question, Gladio?” If he didn’t know any better he’d think Ignis was being… coy.

“Shoot.” Gladio’s voice was rougher than normal.  Shit.  He coughed a few times for effect.

A thumb and forefinger found their way to his cheek, Ignis just barely brushing over the flesh.  It tickled and turned Gladio on at the same time.

“We’ve been outside for days at a time, packed together in our little tent, and I have never once seen you trim your beard.” Slim fingers felt the outline of his beard, stopping just under his bottom lip.  If Gladio breathed deeply he could probably suck the digit into his mouth.  He willed himself to only use short breaths.

“I mainly do it by touch – been doing it long enough to know what should be where.” Like how that finger belonged in his hair, those lips between his teeth.  

“And you never waver?” A nail skimmed the side of Gladio’s lip as it withdrew.  Gladio missed the sensation immediately.

“The throat is a delicate thing. One misstep and you could injure yourself.” Ignis drew a finger across his jugular to demonstrate.  Gladio thought he could see the blood pumping beneath the surface.  The skin there looked smooth, supple.  He wanted to bury his face in that neck and run his tongue along the lifeline.

Instead he laughed and sat back, casually raising a leg to hide the tenting in his pants.  “Yeah, true.  Sometimes I use my phone.  When that ran out of juice once I had to borrow Prompto.”

Ignis’s cheek twitched and Gladio could have sworn he looked a little… disappointed.

“You have never asked me for help before.”

“Well you weren’t around. You were with Noct doin’ something and Prompto was just hanging around taking pictures so I figured he was free.”

Ignis still had that look on his face.  Gladio yearned for it to go away.

“If you makes you feel better,” he continued, “Prompto wasn’t a very good helper. I cut myself good on his watch.”  Gladio laughed again and raised his chin, motioning to just above his adam’s apple.  “You can actually still see the damn thing.  Didn’t hurt much but it bled like a bitch and Prompto felt awful for days.”

“Now that you mention it I do recall him offering you his half of dessert in recent weeks.”

“Yeah I might have milked it a bi—“ Gladio’s voice abruptly cut off when Ignis grabbed his shoulders and coaxed him to his knees once more.  They were so close now, Ignis’s face on par with Gladio’s, eyes wide and unblinking.  There was a moment before Ignis titled Gladio’s head up and away and examined the spot in question.

“This here?” Ignis ran the pad of his finger over the small scar and Gladio found himself shivering before he could regain control of his body.  The scar wasn’t fresh and definitely wasn’t sensitive but the proximity… Gladio licked his lips and hoped Ignis didn’t notice.

Strong fingers held onto his jaw and he felt that even if he had wanted to move, he wouldn’t be able to. A grunt of acknowledgment passed his lips.

“It may be older now, but if you want to rid yourself of the scar permanently I have some ointments you could borrow.”  His hand remained on Gladio’s jaw but pulled down, allowing them to face each other.

“Scars are sexy. Women love scars.”  Gladio winced, he could have kicked himself in the ass.  He definitely did not want to be thinking about women right now. Not when he was this close to those brilliant eyes, delicious lips and _gods damned_ fucking beard.

“Right.” Ignis’s voice was still warm. Amused. But he withdrew his hand…

Gladio grabbed it back.

“I noticed this scar here a while back.” Gladio mumbled, seeking a reason – thin or not – to continue remaining in contact.  He ran his palm across the back of Ignis’s hand.  “How did this happen?”

At that, Ignis chuckled and gently took his hand back, sitting back on the seat and stretching his shoulders.

“I play with knives on a daily basis, Gladiolus.  Cuts and scratches are inevitable.  Besides, it is as you said, women favour a certain… debonair look that scars greatly enhance.”

Right. Right.  Ignis liked women too.  Shut it down, Gladio, shut this shitty attraction to your friend DOWN.

“Anyway,” Ignis continued, “Shall we begin?”

Gladio felt like the air in the room had become stifling.  He felt like he should be saying something – anything – but nothing came to mind.  The atmosphere wasn’t awkward exactly but Gladio felt the urge to speak, to blather about anything that came to mind.  Instead, he lathered shaving cream in his hands and massaged it into Ignis’s beard. 

Ignis didn’t like his facial hair so that meant this was probably the last time Gladio would be able to touch him this closely, this brazenly.  If so, he wanted to make it last.

Ignis’s eyes slid closed as Gladio ran his foamy fingertips from one earlobe to the other, lightly scratching with his nails because, well, why the hell not.  Beards, even unwanted ones, needed loving too.  Gladio knew from experience that, if done right, shaving felt damn good.  He’d dated a hairdresser once (had a fling? Whatever) and they’d offered to help him with his morning ritual.  He almost came in his pants it felt so good.

“That feels lovely.  The itch was barely tolerable.” Ignis murmured, eyes still closed.  He uttered a sigh of contentment and his face relaxed into a pleasant smile.  Gladio was pleased and also thankful Ignis couldn’t see how happy that made him.  The other man didn’t smile very much, not since the attack on Insomnia where they had lost their king, their home, and so many of their friends.

He got up to rinse the extra cream from his hands and lay a small towel on Ignis’s bent knee before brandishing the razor and getting to it.

Gladio was a bit old fashioned in this sense – he preferred to use a straight razor when he shaved.  It allowed him better control and he got a much smoother cut every time.  Plus, it looked kinda bad-ass.

He started under Ignis’s left ear and cut an even line through the foam.  There was a faint scratching sound as the hairs were sliced from the skin in one deft motion.  Gladio wiped the excess cream off the blade and continued.

Time passed slowly and Ignis must have opened his eyes because Gladio felt like he was being watched. But he was almost finished and was afraid of what might happen if he looked into those deep green eyes so he stubbornly refused to meet Ignis’s gaze. 

He probably looked a bit silly.  At one point his own beard got itchy and without thinking he had scratched it with the back of his hand.  He didn’t have to look in the mirror to know there was foam on his chin and that was a pain because when it dried it was sticky as hell.

Finally, Gladio sat back on the floor and removed the dirty towel from Ignis.  He folded it and use a clean edge to wipe the blade down.  He’d be cleaning it off properly later but this would do for the moment.  He used the other side of the towel to wipe any extra whiteness off of Ignis and smacked him in the thigh, motioning that he should get up.  Ignis did, and Gladio got an eyeful of ass as Ignis brushed past his face to look into the mirror.

“Much better.” Ignis announced as he turned on the tap and washed the sticky residue off his cheeks.  There was no extra towel to dry off with so he lifted up the hem of his shirt and dried off his face with that.  Gladio was positive there was something said about the shirt being dirty anyway but all he could hear was the blood rushing in his ears as Ignis’s surprisingly toned stomach came into view.  He figured that it made sense that Ignis wasn’t a flabby mess but Gladio had never really had the opportunity to verify his suspicions.

Ignis wasn’t as muscular as he was, of course, but he was athletic and had just enough flesh to make Gladio’s mouth water.  Holy fuck he just wanted to slam Ignis against the door and run his tongue up and over those hipbones, leave pretty pink marks against the white flesh…

Shit, Ignis was speaking again.

“…wouldn’t mind?”

Gladio stared at him blankly. Ignis sighed and shook at head.

“You seem to be zoning out quite a lot this evening, Gladio. Are you sure you’re not sick?”

“’m not sick.” Gladio didn’t elaborate.

“As I was saying, if you don’t mind I can help with that.” Ignis pointed to Gladio’s beard.  Ah right, the foam.

“It’s cool Iggy, I got it.” Gladio made as if to get up but Ignis placed a firm hand on his shoulder and forced him to stay down. 

“You helped me and I greatly appreciate it. Allow me to do you this small favour.”  And then Ignis smirked.  Smirked!  Gladio didn’t think he’d ever seen Ignis make that gesture before.  It was hot.  And the Ignis took off his shirt. 

Gladio’s arousal had faded as he concentrated on not slicing Ignis’s throat but it came back full force. Fuck fuck fuckitty fuck!  Iedolas in a thong! Iedolas in a thong!

“…Who in a thong?” Ignis had turned back towards the sink to soak his shirt but he tilted his head to look at Gladio in confusion.

“Nothing. Never mind. Fuck me.”  Damn Ignis and his supernatural hearing.  Gladio didn’t even realize he had spoken out loud.

“I’m not sure we’re at that stage in our relationship yet, Gladiolus.”  The smirk was back on Ignis face as he brought the wet fabric across Gladio’s chin, rubbing off the smudge of shaving cream there.

“Yeah yeah, give it time Iggy, we’ll get there.” Gladio replied breezily, trying to play it off as a joke.

“Hm.”  Ignis reply was short and succinct. Gladio wasn’t sure what that meant.

Ignis leaned back against the bathroom sink, and dropped his used shirt on the toilet seat.  He crossed his arms across his chest, and that drew Gladio’s gaze upwards.  Past the tight pants and taut stomach, over the pectoral muscles and two perfect dark nipples, to the face above.  Ignis seemed to be debating something in his mind and as Gladio’s eyes reached Ignis’s own, his expression turned serious.

“Gladio, come here.” He ordered, voice not leaving any room for argument.

Bossy Iggy was gods-damned delicious.  Gladio scrambled to his feet as fast as he could without seeming too eager.  Even though he was taller than his bespectacled friend, at this moment he felt as tiny as Talcott.

“What’s up?” Gladio forced his voice to remain calm even while his libido was screaming at him.  Ignis was in front of him, half naked, being forceful and he really hoped Iggy wasn’t right about him being sick because suddenly he felt a blazing heat throughout his body.

“I seem to have missed a spot.”

Gladio tilted his head to the side so he could see his reflection in the mirror behind Ignis.  He looked fine?

“I’m not sure what you mean, Iggy. Everything looks good to me.”

“No, I’m quite positive.” Ignis brought his hand up and ran his thumb across Gladio’s bottom lip. “It’s very obvious.”

Gladio’s eyes flicked back to the mirror.  Nope, nothing.

There was an immense sigh from Ignis that drew Gladio’s eyes back from the mirror.  There was a look of pure exasperation mixed with amusement that was flung his way.

“Astrals above, you can be so dense at times, Gladiolus.” And with that, Ignis closed his eyes and brought his mouth forward, crushing his lips against Gladio’s own.

Gladio was so surprised he half expected Noctis and Prompto to burst in the door, camera in hand, to announce their successful prank.  But no one came.  It was just him and Ignis.

It was like a lightning bolt had struck Gladio straight in the chest.  Did Ramuh also moonlight as Cupid?  Gladio felt like his entire body was electrified – he felt everything and nothing in an instant.  He knew Ignis was kissing him. He knew he wanted to be kissing Ignis. But wasn’t Ignis straight? Guess not.  His heart felt like it was on fire, about to burst, and Gladio figured that if his time really had come, he might as well go out with a bang.

He had wasted precious seconds arguing with himself when he could have been responding to the kiss.  He was a moron.  But a moron that Ignis seemed to be attracted to.  By the Six he could have screamed in joy and kissed each and every one of the Gods – even Leviathan’s scary ass.  Did she have an ass?  She had a tail, did that count?

“Stop getting distracted.” There was a mumble against his lips and Ignis opened his eyes to raise an expectant eyebrow at his dark-haired companion.

Ah yes.  Time for thinking was over, time was action was now.  Gladio didn’t question his good fortune, he just grabbed Ignis and went for it.

Using one hand he grabbed Ignis’s ass off the side of the sink and twisted, slamming them both into the bathroom door with a little more force than he intended.  His mouth had become disengaged from Ignis’s during the move and he rectified that immediately.  He brought their lips together again, too forcefully but Ignis didn’t seem to be complaining.  Gladio nipped and sucked at the tongue that thrust itself into his mouth, fingers curling into Ignis’s hair and keeping him from pulling back.  Not that Ignis was showing any intention of leaving.

Their breaths mingled as they both stopped to gasp for air before diving back in, Gladio leading the charge this time.  He tried to be gentler, to lick the lips before him and kiss that mouth with the passion it deserved but Ignis was having none of it.  He was still on the offense, as if he stopped Gladio might leave.

Gladio couldn’t let him think that.  He untangled his fingers from the brown hair before him and ghosted his palms down Ignis’s neck, feeling the blood pumping in that one artery that had tempted him before.  But now temptation had a basis in reality and with a grunt, Gladio pulled his lips away and licked down Ignis’s jawline, stopping at the jugular to bite at it – gently.  Ignis’s skin tasted like shaving cream. It wasn’t a great taste but it was so overpowered by Ignis’s natural scent (sweat and spices at the moment) that Gladio knew he didn’t want to give it up.  Didn’t want to give Ignis up. Ever.

Ignis’s fingers threaded into Gladio’s dark hair as the taller man went down.  Ignis was panting, unable to catch his breath, but he seemed fine with that.  When Gladio’s tongue and teeth found a nipple, Ignis couldn’t help a moan from escaping his mouth and his fingers tightened, pulling cruelly at chestnut hair.

It seemed to turn Gladio on even more. He managed to pull his mouth away from the nub long enough to ask a question.

“Gods – Iggy, _how long?”_

Ignis got the words out around a moan; Gladio had twisted a nipple.  “Long enough to notice you wanted me too.”

“What changed?”

“I got tired of waiting.” Ignis growled and grabbed Gladio’s shoulders, flipping them around so that it was Gladio against the door.  He dove in for another kiss as he shoved his knee between Gladio’s legs.

Gladio was rock hard.  In a fight to the death with Titan he would probably still win hardest dick (and biggest, but that was a joke for a less serious time.) With every kiss, every lick, every bite Gladio could feel his cock throbbing more and more.  He felt constricted in his pants and with Ignis’s knee in the way, there was no escape.  Without intending to, he began to rock against the invader, friction causing pleasure that helped him forget the inescapable tightness.

He snaked his hands down Ignis’s torso, tweaking nipples that were so hard it must have been painful.  Then his hands continued downwards, following the ridges of muscles and scars that he didn’t know were there settling on the delectable hips he had seen earlier.  While he ached to attack them, his mouth was otherwise occupied.  His hands instead went to Ignis’s ass and he squeezed and kneaded the flesh there, pushing and pulling Ignis closer, now more or less thrusting against the leg between his.

Ignis abandoned his attack and pressed his cheek to Gladio’s.  The roughness of Gladio’s beard was likely painful at this stage, especially on freshly shaven cheeks, but Ignis wasn’t complaining.  Indeed, his own arousal was now flush against Gladio’s leg and as Gladio rocked and thrusted, Ignis was compelled to do the same.

As they both created an unsteady rhythm of thrusting and pushing and driving against each other Gladio felt lips against his cheek. It was surprisingly tender for all the offense that Ignis had been driven to lately.  The lips were warm, plump, and pushed out erratic breaths that signaled to Gladio that something was drawing nearer.

Gladio caught Ignis’s eye and was less surprised than he should have been to see they were almost black with lust.  Gladio could imagine that he looked the same.  He brought up one hand and tucked it around the back of Ignis’s neck, pulling their foreheads together.  Their eyes met and Gladio gave one more powerful thrust and came undone.  The moans that escaped his mouth must have been Ignis’s own catalyst became he came soon after, shuddering and quivering against Gladio’s body, arms scrabbling for anything to hang onto as his legs turned to jelly.

They both sunk to the floor, legs intertwined as they panted for breath.  Gladio pushed off the door long enough to reach up and open it a crack, allowing some airflow to help dissipate the heat and smell of sex.

“Well, that was unexpected.” Gladio laughed, suddenly fully satiated.

“Indeed.”

“What brought that on?  I mean, it was a-fucking-mazing, don’t get me wrong. But where did that come from?” Gladio brought a hand to his heaving chest a pulled at his tanktop, grimacing at the sweat that darkened the fabric.

“I got tired of waiting for you to make a move.  I think my plan turned out well, don’t you?” Ignis’s hair was a mess, his pants had an unsightly stain on the front, and he was flushed.  Gladio had never seen a more gorgeous sight.

“Yeah, you made the right call.  Wish to hell you had warned me, though. I don’t have any spare pants.”

“What?” Ignis was aghast. “None?  What have you been doing since I left, wearing the same clothing over and over?”

“Look, I got busy!  Being a parent takes a lot of time, especially when you’re by yourself.”

Ignis looked unhappy. “I apologize.  I shouldn’t have left.”

Shit! “No Ignis, it’s cool. I was just stressed.  I told myself I wasn’t going to get mad at you and… I’m sorry.  You guys went through worse when I left.”

“It certainly wasn’t easy, no.” Ignis sighed, agreeing.  “But all’s well that ends well.” He got up and pulled Gladio to his feet.

“Yeah, this might never have happened if you’d stayed here.”

“Who would have guessed you’d have found my facial hair so attractive?”  At Gladio’s beginnings of a protestation, Ignis held up a hand. “I saw the way you looked at me when I arrived.  I gave you plenty of chances to explain yourself - or even lie - and you didn’t, so I knew what was happening.”

Gladio looked sheepish. “You know me, too honest for my own good.”

“Honesty did you well tonight, dear Gladio.  Now, let us shower and ready ourselves for bed.  We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Iggy, I don’t have _pants_.” Gladio couldn’t believe it but he was whining. Like Prompto.  And he just had a mind-blowing orgasm. Hells, Prompto and orgasm in the same thought? He wouldn’t be able to get that out of his head.  New subject!

“You can borrow some of mine.” Ignis commented, drily.  “No one will say anything.  Now come.”

Gladio began peeling off his damp clothing, slightly impressed yet disgusted at the amount of semen that covered his clothing.  He hadn’t come that much in a long, long time.

“By the way, Iggy, what did you need from Tenebrae?”

Ignis hummed over his shoulder as he climbed into the shower. “A daemon encyclopedia.  It details all the strengths and weaknesses of every demon encountered so far. It dates back decades.”

Gladio blinked. “That sounds awesome.”  He received a smile in return and a hand beckoned him in. 

Gladio squeezed in behind Ignis. There was not enough room for two people but neither of them wanted to be apart, not after waiting this long to be together.  Gladio hugged Ignis from behind and kissed the junction where his neck met his shoulder.

“Maybe I should grow the beard back?  It was obviously well received.”

Gladio was embarrassed to feel himself growing hard at those words.  What the hell had Iggy done to him?  Well, whatever it was, he liked it.

They may not have had a kingdom, or family, or even a clean towel, but they had each other and that – for the moment – would suffice.

**Author's Note:**

> Phew! It was really hard writing from Gladio's perspective after using Ignis's for so long but I made a valiant attempt! Even though I've had this prompt for a while, it took some time to write because, somehow, I am the only person in my household not currently suffering from "The Man Cold".
> 
> Sigh. Fingers crossed I stay hale and hearty!
> 
> Anyway, if you enjoyed this fic please kudos or comment or both! I really appreciate all the love you guys give to my stories and I'm not too proud to say that it makes me write faster. :P
> 
> P.S. Am I the only one who occasionally (okay, often) types chestbut instead of chestnut? Stupid fingers but it cracks me up every single time.


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